"After an injury-ravaged 2015 season, and sporting a salary cap number of $11.5 million for 2016, it's all but a foregone conclusion that the Seahawks will move on from "Beast Mode" this offseason. Cutting or trading Lynch will save Seattle $6.5 million against the cap in 2016 and $10 million in 2017, the final year of a two-year extension he signed in March. Given that Lynch is coming off the first surgery of his illustrious career and his repeated clashes with management, perhaps a better question than whether or not he returns to the Seahawks next season is whether Lynch has played his last NFL game, period."

Lynch announced his retirement via Twitter on Feb. 7, and his decision to walk away from the game was subsequently confirmed by his agent. He's spent his offseason traveling and expanding his "Beast Mode" brand, but still hasn't turned in his retirement papers to the NFL. That's led some to question whether Lynch might have a change of heart, but Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and GM John Schneider reaffirmed his retirement during the draft. On Tuesday, Schneider said in a radio interview that the team wanted to take Lynch's entire $5 million cap hit this season, meaning he'll be off the roster one way or another by June 1.

"Here's what we know: The Seahawks didn't budge when Chancellor held out from training camp, the preseason, and Seattle's first two regular-season games. The team also planned on collecting much, if not all, of the over $1 million in fines he racked up during the holdout. Here's what we don’t yet know: Does Chancellor still think he deserves a new deal after signing a four-year, $28 million extension in 2013? If he does, he'll likely be following Lynch out the door via trade or release, particularly after a 2015 season in which he didn't quite live up to his lofty standards on the field and showed signs of breaking down with injuries." less

What we asked then:2. How upset is Kam Chancellor ... ?

"Here's what we know: The Seahawks didn't budge when Chancellor held out from training camp, the preseason, and Seattle's first two regular-season games. ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO, Seattlepi.com

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What we know now:

If Chancellor (above left, with teammate Richard Sherman) still feels like he needs a new deal from Seattle, he's doing a good job of keeping quiet about it. In March, he posted a picture to Instagram explaining his intentions to stay with the Seahawks, writing, "I don't plan on going anywhere unless some higher power places me elsewhere." Shortly thereafter, Schneider told reporters that Chancellor would return to Seattle in 2016, if not for longer. Neither the team nor Chancellor ever announced any kind of concession coming out of the holdout, but former agent Joel Corry told us he found it hard to believe the two sides didn't work out some kind of compromise.

"Like Chancellor, Bennett displayed his unhappiness with his current contract last offseason. Unlike Chancellor, Bennett reported to training camp on time before playing the best football of his career in a 2015 campaign that should have garnered him an All-Pro selection. One of the most versatile defensive linemen in football, Bennett is nearly irreplaceable. Partially for that reason, he's remained vocal about his discontent with the four-year, $32 million deal he signed in 2014. All his contract talk hasn't gone unnoticed. Don't be surprised if the Seahawks think they can get a decent return by trading him away when he's at his most valuable." less

What we asked then:3. ... and Michael Bennett?

"Like Chancellor, Bennett displayed his unhappiness with his current contract last offseason. Unlike Chancellor, Bennett reported to training camp on time before ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO, Seattlepi.com

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What we know now:

Bennett hasn't been moved -- that seems a bit presumptuous looking back at it -- and he's been remarkably quiet about his contract so far this offseason. His firing of super-agent Drew Rosenhaus, however, seemingly spoke volumes about Bennett's faith in Rosenhaus' ability to negotiate more money from the Seahawks. Bennett hired Doug Hendrickson, who successfully negotiated a slight revision of Marshawn Lynch's contract ahead of the 2014 season, and Hendrickson reportedly met with the team during the NFL scouting combine in February. Later this month we'll see if Bennett repeats the same tactic he took last year and skips OTAs.

What we asked then:4. Do you keep Brandon Mebane or Ahtyba Rubin? Or both? Or neither?

"Mebane, the longest-tenured Seahawks player, and Rubin, an under-the-radar, free-agent signing last season, were two of the biggest reasons why Seattle led the league in rushing defense in 2015, allowing just 81.5 yards per game on the ground. Both will be unrestricted free agents in March. At 31 and just a year removed from missing six games due to injury in 2014, Mebane (above) seems less likely to get a new deal than the 29-year-old Rubin, whom head coach Pete Carroll called the best 3-technique (lining up outside the opponent's guard, rather than the tackle) defensive tackle he's had in Seattle. But with the oft-injured Jordan Hill and Demarcus Dobbs as the team's top reserves, defensive tackle seems to be a position in need of a major depth upgrade this offseason." less

What we asked then:4. Do you keep Brandon Mebane or Ahtyba Rubin? Or both? Or neither?

"Mebane, the longest-tenured Seahawks player, and Rubin, an under-the-radar, free-agent signing last season, were two of the ... more

Photo: Otto Greule Jr, Getty Images

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What we know now:

We were correct in our assessment of Rubin, who signed a three-year contract to remain in Seattle just ahead of the start of free agency. Mebane, on the other hand, ended up signing a three-year, $13.5 million deal with San Diego on the first day of free agency, leaving the Seahawks without one of their top run defenders from much of the past decade. They mitigated that loss with the selection of Alabama's Jarran Reed (above) in the second round of the draft. Considered the draft's best pure run stuffer, Reed earned a first-round grade from many teams around the league, including Seattle, which traded up to select him at No. 49 overall. The Seahawks then added another defensive tackle in fifth-rounder Quinton Jefferson.

"Okung, the first draft pick of the Pete Carroll/John Schneider era in Seattle, presents a curious case. On one hand, he's been the team's best offensive lineman for much of the past five years, giving the Seahawks a good (not great) player at the all-important left tackle spot. On the other hand, he's missed 18 regular-season games over that time period, and no one quite knows how his decision to represent himself in free agency will manifest itself. Could it be that Okung knows he wants to re-sign with Seattle and was unwilling to pay a percentage on a deal he thinks he can work out on his own? Or did he and former agent Peter Schaffer disagree on his market value? If that's the case, it might signal that Okung is looking to break the bank, which will likely happen elsewhere." less

What we asked then:5. Does Russell Okung price himself out of town?

"Okung, the first draft pick of the Pete Carroll/John Schneider era in Seattle, presents a curious case. On one hand, he's been the team's best ... more

Photo: Tom Dahlin, Getty Images

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What we know now:

Okung's free-agent sojourn around the NFL finally ended when he signed a reported five-year deal with the Broncos a week into free agency. What was initially labeled a coup for Okung was eventually identified as a one-year, $5 million pact with no -- as in zero --guaranteed money and a four-year option. The contract was widely panned as one of the worst in the NFL, and it begged the question: With Okung signing for what ended up being such a reasonable price, why didn't the Seahawks pursue him more aggressively? (They reportedly didn't have an offer on the table for Okung when he signed with Denver.) Perhaps they simply didn't want to bring back Okung at even a middling price given his injury history and Seattle's needs elsewhere. Or maybe it was a show of confidence in third-year player Garry Gilliam, who is currently slotted to start at left tackle.

What we asked then:6. Do the Seahawks sink another high pick on O-line?

"Seattle's offensive line remains its Achilles' heel and a major factor why the offense struggled through the first half of the 2015 season. In addition to Okung, two more starters -- center Patrick Lewis (above) and J.R. Sweezy -- are also free agents (Lewis is a restricted free agent), meaning the team can't just stand pat this offseason with hopes the unit coalesces better in 2016. It seems likely there will be quite a bit of turnover in the group this offseason. Does that mean the three 2015 draft picks -- tackle Terry Poole, guard Mark Glowinski and athlete Kristjan Sokoli -- get a shot at major roles in 2016, or will the Seahawks spend more draft capital on the line this offseason?" less

What we asked then:6. Do the Seahawks sink another high pick on O-line?

"Seattle's offensive line remains its Achilles' heel and a major factor why the offense struggled through the first half of the 2015 ... more

Photo: ANNA ERICKSON, Seattlepi.com

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What we know now:

Seattle brought back Lewis and brought in free-agent signings J'Marcus Webb and Bradley Sowell after losing Okung, reserve Alvin Bailey and Sweezy, who signed a staggering five-year, $32.5 million deal with Tampa Bay. Needing additional depth, the Seahawks selected Texas A&M's Germain Ifedi with the final pick in the first round of the draft, making him their first first-rounder since Bruce Irvin in 2012. They weren't done there, however, bringing in Boise State's Rees Odhiambo with their final pick in the third round and TCU center Joey Hunt in the sixth. This will once again be the position group to watch in the offseason as Seattle attempts to identify its starting five and get them coalescing quickly.

What we asked then:7. What are realistic expectations for Jimmy Graham?

"Acquiring Graham was Seattle's splashiest move last offseason. A year later, the results on the blockbuster deal are decidedly mixed. It took some time, but Graham eventually became comfortable with Russell Wilson and the Seahawks' offense, which his statistics (48 receptions for 605 yards and two touchdowns through 11 games) bear out. But after suffering a potentially catastrophic patellar tendon tear in Week 12, there's no guarantee he'll be available by the start of next season. In fact, there's no guarantee he'll be available at any point in 2016, when he's due to make $9 million. What the team does to bolster depth at that position this offseason should tell us a lot about the Seahawks' expectations for Graham moving forward." less

What we asked then:7. What are realistic expectations for Jimmy Graham?

"Acquiring Graham was Seattle's splashiest move last offseason. A year later, the results on the blockbuster deal are decidedly mixed. It ... more

Photo: GENNA MARTIN, Seattlepi.com

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What we know now:

When asked about Graham, Schneider and Carroll have repeatedly stated their belief that his rehab is going well and that they hope for his return at the start of the regular season. But that's no sure thing, and their selection of Ohio State's Nick Vannett (above, left) in the third round of the draft may signal a shift at the position. After Seattle released Zach Miller last offseason, their depth chart featured pass catchers at the position in Graham, Willson and Cooper Helfet. Vannett can contribute as a receiver, but he's widely regarded as the best blocking back in the class. It will be interesting to see if this means more two-tight end sets for the Seahawks, or if there's a re-emphasis on the tight end as a blocker.

"When Seattle selected Irvin with the No. 15 overall pick in 2012, many pegged it as a reach for an admittedly athletic player who didn't have a true position in the NFL. But after transitioning from a pass-rushing end to outside linebacker in his second season, Irvin has turned into a steady performer with 22 career sacks. The Seahawks declined his fifth-year option last offseason, meaning he's an unrestricted free agent this year. Though he told reporters he'd take less to stay in Seattle, it's hard to imagine there won't be a team willing to give Irvin much more than he could make with the Seahawks, quite possibly Jacksonville or Atlanta, both of which are coached by former Seattle defensive coordinators in Gus Bradley and Dan Quinn, respectively." less

What we asked then:8. Is Bruce Irvin an affordable luxury?

"When Seattle selected Irvin with the No. 15 overall pick in 2012, many pegged it as a reach for an admittedly athletic player who didn't have a true ... more

Photo: GENNA MARTIN, Seattlepi.com

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What we know now:

It wasn't the Jaguars or Falcons who ended up with Irvin, but another team with defensive ties to the Seahawks. A day before free agency officially began, Irvin signed a four-year, $37 million deal with the Oakland Raiders, whose defense is helmed by longtime Carroll assistant Ken Norton Jr. Irvin will be allowed to rush the passer more in Oakland, while Seattle must figure out a way to replace his all-around game. Second-year player Frank Clark and the recently re-signed Chris Clemons should compete for his snaps as a pass rusher on passing downs, while players like Cassius Marsh, Mike Morgan and Kevin Pierre-Louis are asked to step into his strongside linebacker role. This will be another position to watch in the offseason.

"Kearse is another unrestricted free agent from the class of 2012 whom the Seahawks would love to keep. The former undrafted free agent from Washington didn't enter the NFL with a lot of fanfare, but he's developed into a really good fit for Seattle's offense. Yes, he drops the occasional ball, but he makes up for it with clutch catches and steady run blocking. The Seahawks have no proven depth behind Kearse, Doug Baldwin and Tyler Lockett, so look for them to make every effort to bring him back. We have a feeling this gets done fairly easily, particularly because he doesn't seem like the kind of player another franchise would throw tons of money at in the open market." less

What we asked then:9. How valuable is Jermaine Kearse?

"Kearse is another unrestricted free agent from the class of 2012 whom the Seahawks would love to keep. The former undrafted free agent from Washington ... more

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO, Seattlepi.com

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What we know now:

This played out as we expected. Kearse apparently didn't find the kind of market he was hoping for and ended up signing a relatively affordable three-year, $13.5 million deal to come back to his hometown team. That keeps the receiver depth chart stable up top, which is great for Russell Wilson coming off a record-breaking season. One player who could add an additional explosive element in 2016 is 2014 second-round pick Paul Richardson, who played in just one game in 2015 after suffering a serious hamstring injury in his first game back from a torn ACL.

What we asked then:10. Is the starting cornerback opposite Richard Sherman on the roster?

"The Seahawks thought they took care of their right-outside cornerback spot (at least in the short term) when they signed veteran Cary Williams (above) in their biggest free-agent move of 2015. But Williams' ineffectiveness led to his benching before a December release, and who mans the spot -- formerly held by the likes of Byron Maxwell and Brandon Browner -- next season is anyone's guess. The possibilities include in-house options in an unrestricted free agent (Jeremy Lane), an exclusive-right free agent (DeShawn Shead) or a practice squad player (Stanley Jean-Baptiste). Or it could be someone not yet on the roster." less

What we asked then:10. Is the starting cornerback opposite Richard Sherman on the roster?

"The Seahawks thought they took care of their right-outside cornerback spot (at least in the short term) when they signed ... more

Photo: Scott Eklund, Seattlepi.com

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What we know now:

Lane (above) was perhaps the most surprising re-signing of the 2016 offseason after agreeing to a four-year, $23 million deal to stay in Seattle. He'll likely get the first shot at starting outside in the base defense, but the Seahawks likely don't want to keep him there in the nickel and will move him inside to take advantage of his aggressiveness. Shead, Jean-Baptise, Mohammed Seisay and a re-signed Brandon Browner are candidates to play outside in passing downs.

"Since signing Ryan one week into the 2008 season, the Seahawks have been set at punter. In fact, the former Regina Rams wide receiver has been a secret weapon during Seattle's rise to the top of the NFL, showing a particular penchant for pinning opposing teams inside their own 20-yard line. Ryan didn't have a great 2015 season and is set to become an unrestricted free agent at 34. With all of their other free agent needs, it's possible the Seahawks look to cut costs by bringing in a younger, cheaper and likely less-proven commodity at the position. Then again, special teams has always been a focus for Carroll, so don't expect him to make a move that hurts the team there just to save some money." less

What we asked then:11. Is Jon Ryan still special?

"Since signing Ryan one week into the 2008 season, the Seahawks have been set at punter. In fact, the former Regina Rams wide receiver has been a secret weapon ... more

Photo: Peter G. Aiken, Getty Images

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What we know now:

Ryan was on the open market for less than two days before announcing a new four-year, $10 million deal with Seattle. Don't expect him to play out the full deal after his cap number bumps up following the 2017 season. Seattle did save some pennies by releasing long snapper Clint Gresham a year into a three-year, $2.7 million contract.

"At some point the Seahawks will have to develop a long-term backup quarterback behind Wilson. Is this the year? After signing three consecutive one-year contracts with Seattle, Tarvaris Jackson could be back again next year. But each year he remains in the league, the 32-year-old gets more and more expensive. We wouldn't be shocked to see the Seahawks do one more one-year deal with Jackson and draft a developmental prospect in the later rounds. Former Eastern Washington and Oregon star Vernon Adams (above) seems to be an ideal fit." less

What we asked then:12. Who backs up Russell Wilson?

"At some point the Seahawks will have to develop a long-term backup quarterback behind Wilson. Is this the year? After signing three consecutive one-year ... more

Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

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What we know now:

Adams will indeed try out for the team during this weekend's rookie minicamp, but he'll have competition. Former local high school star Jake Heaps signed a free-agent deal with Seattle on Tuesday and former Texas Christian star Trevone Boykin (above) signed as an undrafted free agent. Boykin was a 2014 Heisman Trophy finalist before dealing with an ankle injury in 2015 and had a well publicized run-in with the law ahead of the Horned Frogs' bowl game this year. He could turn out to be the kind of long-term project at the position we've seen from other teams around the league. Jackson remains an unrestricted free agent.

Seahawks' Michael Bennett on contract: 'Any American wants to get paid more'

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Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett confirmed he's still unhappy with his contract situation on Tuesday, but also said he wanted to stay in Seattle long term and hinted he's not considering a training camp holdout.

Appearing on 710 ESPN Seattle's "Brock and Salk" show, the 30-year-old Bennett asserted his Fifth Amendment rights to not incriminate himself when asked about his contract.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I'm doing," he told hosts Mike Salk and Brock Huard. "Because no matter what I say it's going to come back to haunt me."

"Any American wants to get paid more at their job," Bennett then continued. "I don't think there's anybody that goes to work and says, 'Hey, I'm happy with how much I'm getting paid. I love it. Don't give me any more money.' So that's how I feel too."

Bennett signed a four-year, $32 million deal with the Seahawks as an unrestricted free agent in 2014, but began to complain about the contract just one year in. He was a no-show for the voluntary portion of Seattle's offseason workouts last year and even considered a training camp holdout.

He reported to training camp on time and put together perhaps his best NFL season to date, leading the Seahawks with 10 sacks and earning his first career Pro Bowl appearance.

This offseason, he parted ways with agent Drew Rosenhaus, who helped him negotiate the 2014 contract, and signed with Doug Hendrickson. Hendrickson helped former Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch successfully renegotiate a portion of his contract ahead of the 2014 season.

Like last year, Bennett has missed the voluntary portion of the Seahawks' offseason program, but he told Salk and Huard that he wanted to remain in Seattle long term.

"Of course, I want to be in Seattle as long as possible," he said. "Everything about Seattle I love. I love the city. I love the team, love my teammates, love what's going on, love how we do things. I just love it here."

Seahawks GM John Schneider has maintained he would have to consider redoing deals for other players if the front office showed a willingness to budge on its policy of not renegotiating contracts with more than one season remaining on them.

"I don't get the impression he's fine with his contract,'' Schneider told Pro Football Talk on May 11. "But I think he recognizes it's a team sport, and I'm sure he sees a couple of his teammates who have one year left on their contracts. He has two left on his. We have a couple guys that are going to be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season that we'd like to try to take care of as well."

Bennett downplayed the idea of Schneider setting an untenable precedent by showing a willingness to budge on his deal, saying the difference between him and teammates signed to long-term extensions -- like Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Bobby Wagner, for example -- is that they're already paid at the top of their positions.

"I think the difference between me and those guys is those guys are the highest-paid at their position," Bennett said. "So it's a little different for me. I'm the 22nd highest-paid defensive end in the NFL, so it's a lot different between the No. 1 person or No. 3 at your position and No. 20."

Bennett played coy initially when asked if he'd be at Seahawks training camp, but seemed resolved to follow the same path as last year.

"Why wouldn't I be at training camp?" Bennett asked. "I'll see you there for sure."